From Jenny to Mei Ch. 13

"Well, don't worry. I don't think I'll be asking for a camel."

"You can feel free to contact me at any time and if I'm not available, you will be assisted by one of my colleagues who will have access to your file and preferences, so it will be just like dealing with me. Is this your preferred contact number?"

"Yes, it's my cell phone."

"Will your default shipping address be the address on the card?"

"Uh... yes, I guess."

"You are enrolled in the amenity clubs of most airlines so when you travel you'll have access to a club lounge in most any airport in the world. Is your preference to fly first class when traveling?"

"Um, sure."

"Do you have a preference of hotels?"

"No, not really."

"Do you have a room size preference? Executive suite or larger?"

"Um... no, not really. But what is the credit limit on the card?"

"Oh. There isn't one."

"What do you mean? Like I could buy a Rolls Royce with it or something?"

"Yes, of course."

"Or charter a jet to take me to Paris?"

"Sure. You're enrolled in the Gulfstream Private Flyers Club and I can have transport for you with two hours' notice."

"You mean I could call you and in two hours be on my own jet to Paris?"

"Yes. With flight attendants and a chef and a limousine waiting for you when you arrive."

"What would that cost? Just out of curiosity?"

"One moment please." She heard her typing and felt guilty just asking.

"A one way excursion to Paris Orly departing at noon from San Francisco International Airport flying in a Gulfstream G550 which seats sixteen and sleeps six would be approximately, seventy-two thousand dollars, exclusive of various fees that depend on the number of travelers."

"God..." she whispered.

"Were you contemplating a trip in the near future?"

"No," she practically shouted into the phone.

"The cost declines with more advanced notice," she said in a helpful voice, "And of course commercial reservations are in an entirely different price category."

"Wow. Uh... no travel plans at the moment. Can I call you by your first name?"

"Of course, it's Bethany."

"Bethany, great. Nice to meet you. Please call me Mei Chun."

"Of course, Mei Chun. I look forward to assisting you."

"Me too!" she said with a giggle. "You said you could help with gifts too?"

"Sure. When you get a chance you can send me a list of important dates for those you'd like my help with. Birthdays, anniversaries and I'll send you gentle reminders if you'd like. Would you like me to take your email address and I'll send you my contact information?"

She told Bethany her gmail address and asked if she could send her mother a gift.

"Of course, what would you like to send?"

"I don't know."

"Flowers, perfume, a gift basket perhaps? What is her age?"

"Forty-four," she said and felt a strange flush come over her, a painful hardening of her nipples and a sudden constriction in her crotch. "Oh my god," she said and dropped the phone, threw her head back and felt the micro-orgasm flash over her. "Oh my god," she said again and the taxi driver asked if she was ok.

"I'm sorry," she said into the phone, "I dropped it."

"That's quite alright. Are you feeling well?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. Can you send her an orchid?"

She said she could, of course, and took her address and the message for the card. Mei wanted to get off the phone and so made an excuse and rung off. She realized she'd have to be careful with that number and with the card.

##########

Philip arrived at Union Square first, parking in the garage of a building his father had bought twenty years ago. He probably still owned part of it but he wasn't sure. When Mei had asked how much he had he gave her an estimate. Twenty-two was the low end of a constantly variable cash equivalent asset total. The vicissitudes of the real-estate and financial markets meant that there was never an exact figure. He left it all up to his 'wealth advisors' which was what the firm called themselves. Basically it was a bunch of very smart guys playing the markets on his dime, making spectacular commissions and consistently growing his pile. He would change them in another couple of years to keep them honest and move to another firm he used to use that was desperate to get him back. He also had two accounting firms and another advisor to keep an eye on the wealth advisors to make sure they were doing their best for him. They also prepared his hellacious tax return and did a few other things to help keep his privacy secured.

Turning the corner he saw Mei's backside emerging from a taxi. 'Damn she looks good,' he thought as he crept up and slid his arms around her.

"Hey, baby."

"Oh, Philip, how are you, honey?"

"Still recovering from this morning."

"Mmmmm good. That makes me feel great knowing it has such a long lasting effect."

"Let's go in, she might be inside," he said, taking her hand under his elbow.

Morton's usually requested business attire but it was Saturday and they were more flexible on the weekends. Mei Chun looked very fine in her blue striped, silk knit pullover and jeans but Karla, who was indeed waiting inside, felt self-conscious in her gym uniform yoga pants and lycra jacket.

"Karla," he said as they greeted in the alcove, "it's so nice to meet the woman who is taking such good care if Mei at the gym. I see why she is so smitten."

It was more cordial and charming than she had expected from 'the Master.' "So you're not pissed?" she asked with a sort of timid but friendly smile. "You talked it through."

Mei said, "Oh there's no need for talking it out. I just confess to him and he disciplines me a bit."

"Well," Karla said, "that keeps it simple, I guess."

"You'll get used to the idea, Karla. It will seem natural enough soon," he said and they walked to their table.

She took her seat, Philip assisting with her chair, and the waiter brought over menus. Philip asked Karla what kind of meat she enjoyed, "If you like delicate, tender, beef than the filet would be best, or perhaps you like fattier, more robust cuts like a sirloin or strip steak?"

"I'm not much of a beef eater."

"Then let me suggest the filet. It's delicious and melts in your mouth. Or perhaps lobster?"

He turned to Mei who said, "Oh, well I like tender."

"Then let's have filets and if you like my Porterhouse better then we'll send it back and get one of those for you. Now sides they don't do as well but you really can't mess up a baked potato so I think that or whipped would be safe, and the vegetable medley won't kill anyone."

With the order in to the waiter and the wine on its way, they got down to business.

"So Karla, I have so much I want to talk to you about but let's get to your problem first."

"Ok."

"Has she made further demands like money or anything like that?"

"No, nothing like that, yet."

"So you need to decide how we take this. You have lots of options. You go to the police right away and they begin collecting evidence and arrest her when they think they have enough. That's option one, and in a town with a gay mayor, I think we can rely on the cooperation of the police.

"Or two, we let her know you have friends that can exact some serious retribution for what she's done and scare her off.

"And three, you go to the manager, Mr. ..." he paused.

"Mr. Williams."

"Right, and tell him what has happened and turn the tables on her."

"But I'd be fired."

"Maybe but you take her threat away, and without that she's fucked. And you'd have good grounds for a lawsuit; discrimination and firing a whistleblower and all that."

Mei felt so proud of him, practically worshiping him with her school girl gaze.

"I don't know. I just don't know. I don't want her to go to jail."

"That's fine, what do you want?"

"I want her fired. I want that bitch so fired she'll never work again."

Their placeholder plates were removed and sizzling steaks arrived. The conversation paused and when the waiters left he said, "I do care, Karla, what happens and I'm willing to help to some extent. But I want you to know I won't do anything illegal."

She nodded her head.

"Listen, let me think of a few things and I've got your cell number. Is she working at all tonight?"

"She said she was coming in at four and clocking and then would be leaving at five with some cramps and I was to clock her out at midnight."

"Right. Do you have a photo of her you could email me?"

"Yeah, sure," she said and looked through her photos on her mobile phone and asked for his email.

"I may have a little talk with her, a friendly one, explaining to her what could happen if she takes this too far."

He dug back into his steak and Karla was visibly more relaxed and was exchanging looks with Mei Chun.

"You like Mei Chun, don't you Karla?"

She buttered her baked potato and looked up at him through a few strands of light red hair. The look delivered was of subtle annoyance, as though she wished he weren't there. It wasn't strong, didn't show outright disrespect, only a preference which shown in her mouth and eyes. "Yes. I like Mei Chun very much." She quickly glanced at Mei, then back to Philip who was sipping his wine. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Well, you are entering an established relationship as a third party. It's not... unwelcome. I wouldn't want you to feel unwelcome, but it is unexpected and it adds a new dynamic to our relationship that has to be either accommodated or rejected. Otherwise things might become unbalanced and fly out of control." He began to pick at the vegetables with his fork. "I don't want this to sound coarse but I've worked hard to win Mei's affection and I won't surrender her to anyone."

Her back stiffened a bit but she remained silent. He continued, looking her in the eye, "You see, it depends on what your intentions are. If you hope to have her for yourself and refuse to share as I am sharing her with you, you'll fail and she won't see you again. If you accommodate and adapt to the current situation as I've accommodated you, then I see no reason why you girls can't have a very fulfilling relationship."

"That's," she looked down at her plate then quickly to him then swung her eyes to Mei, "that's exactly what I want."

"Of course you'll have to balance that on your side as well, Karla. Mei tells me you have a boyfriend."

"Yes."

"Love?"

"I don't..." she sighed, "I don't know. I have..." she stumbled a bit, "I..."

"You have..." he paused, phrasing the idea in his head before speaking, "expectations for your life? Goals that include marriage and a family?"

"Yes."

"And this guy... what is his name, please?"

"Tim."

"And Tim is the best you've found so far?"

"Yes. He's a good guy. He's not perfect but he's good. He's steady."

"Can I meet him?"

"Why would you want to meet him?" she said, as much annoyed as perplexed.

"I'd like to understand more about you and getting to know someone you think is a good guy would be helpful."

"But how would that work? I mean, I can't just introduce you as the boyfriend of my lesbian lover, can I?"

"No, I suppose not, but you could let me know when he goes out, for example and tell me what bar and leave the rest to me."

"Oh... well, yeah I guess."

He smiled, "So you think he has a good foundation on which you can build?"

"Yes," she said, before catching his meaning and his slight smirk. She realized what he was saying, that she wanted to mold and improve Tim. It annoyed her to be thought of that way even though she couldn't deny it - and then did deny it. "It's not like that."

"It's ok, Karla, it's completely natural. It's a woman's prerogative to choose her mate and want to perfect him. It's instinctual in our species."

"Like domination?" She meant it as a barb but he didn't take it as an insult.

"Exactly." His eyes brightened a little. "Exactly like domination, Karla."

She appreciated the way he smiled at her, and all of the sudden felt a kind of thrill at understanding his meaning. What he said explained the relationship that he and Mei Chun had better than if had they spend an hour talking about it. Mei satisfied a basic need of his, a need in the same category as her need to, one day, be a mother and a wife. She wanted to clarify and understand. "So what you are saying is that the impulse to shape my boyfriend or husband is the same thing as your need to control Mei Chun?"

"Well, on the same level but not quite the same. Mei here," he looked at Mei tenderly, then back to Karla, "she needs a coach. She needs someone to show her how wonderful she can be and inspire her to leave behind some rather disagreeable habits and self-perceptions."

"She told me you tie her up."

"Yes, and I discipline her." He saw her look of disgust and the worried look she gave Mei. "Don't panic. It's what she needs now but it won't be what she needs for much longer. I can explain it more some other time but it's probably not the right setting to go into it in depth." He lay his fork and knife over his plate, indicating he was finished, the steak half consumed. "What intrigues me Karla, is what you need."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know you but I like you already, and I don't usually take to people quickly. I guess it's because I trust Mei, and I know she wouldn't have let you seduce her so effectively had she not felt something within you that she responded to. That, and you're having sex with my girlfriend so I sort of have a relationship with you already."

The waiter came by but saw that the two women were still eating and stepped away. Philip had asked the maitre d' that they not be interrupted with the usual banter and inquiries on how the meal was going and was glad they were complying.

"So you want to make me into a project? Someone to fix?"

"No, not exactly. I want to see how you fit into our lives. To get to know you rather than simply turn a blind eye. That's not my way of doing things."

"Well..."

Mei interrupted her, "Listen, Karla, honey. Just spend some time with us together and we'll see how you feel. Ok?"

"Sure," she said with a polite smile, resisting the urge to say more. She figured this was, at least in part, an interview and she didn't want to be rude or offensive.

Philip asked quite a few more questions of her and they fell into a companionable three-way conversation until it was time to go. Mei left to return to the clinic and Philip waited until another taxi came for Karla.

"I love Mei very much, Karla and you have to decide if you wish to join us or do without her. In the end the choice is just that stark."

"On your terms," she said as a taxi pulled up.

"Yes," he said and gave the driver two twenties. "Delighted to meet you, Karla. You are every bit as beautiful as Mei said."

"Thank you. And thanks for your help with this. I feel better about being blackmailed. Just like Mei I guess."

"Mei Chun, Karla, unless you're inside her."

She laughed, as much by the boyish smile and his confident charm as by the jocular correction.

"Thank you, Philip and thanks for lunch."

##########

He returned home, reviewed the photo of Kenisha and found out what he could online, without resorting to felonious intrusion. There were some avenues for further exploration but nothing out of the ordinary, no arrests or convictions. She was a girl a few years out of junior college in a typical job.

While online he emailed Ai with a friendly inquiry as to her studies and letting her know the project that they had collaborated on had been a big success and thanked her for her suggestions.

Then, as he got ready to head over the bridge again, got a reply from her asking for details of the inaugural run and giving her phone number. "It's my personal cell," she wrote. He texted her, got a quick answer and asked her out for coffee later that evening.

He got his keys, grabbed his laptop case as an afterthought and left for the gym.

##########

Mei got a call from Karla on the way back across the Bay Bridge to Oakland. They spoke about Philip and how things went. Karla berated herself for not giving him the benefit of the doubt earlier, not having trusted Mei's judgement as far as he was concerned. "Just... well, the idea of you being some guy's slave bothered me and I couldn't imagine liking him."

"But you do right? I mean isn't he all I said he was?"

"I don't know. I mean, I see why you like him and I can tell by how he treats you and looks at you that he cares about you."

"He loves me."

"Yeah, but he whips you, ok? And says that you need it."

"Yeah, but it's true. Sometimes I do, like last night."

"Honey, that sounds so fucked up."

"You'll see. Trust me Karla. Are you off tomorrow and Monday?"

"I have to take Kenisha's Monday hours, the bitch."

"Why don't you quit?"

"No, I like it there and if I want to work in this town it's a great place to move from. Plus I don't want to be intimidated by her."

"Yeah. Well listen, I want you to come over tonight and let Philip cook us dinner and we'll have some fun."

"It'll be past midnight and Tim will wonder where I am."

"Tell him you're sleeping at your girlfriend's house," she said with a giggle.

"But Philip will want sex."

"Maybe, but what's wrong with that?"

"I don't know, Mei Chun."

"It's going to be part of the deal honey. Anyway it's great, you'll love it."

"But Tim."

"Well, I can text Philip and ask if he can just fuck me while I'm licking you. How would that be?"

"Well, that's not really cheating I guess. But not tonight. I'll ring you when I get up."

"Great, I'll chat with him and talk tomorrow. Bye, honey. Love you!"

That last, "love you," before she hung up hit Karla like a falling meteor. It made her eyes lose focus. She liked the sound of it so much, let it echo in her mind, petting it like a furry cat on her lap. Did Mei really love her? She understood that she wanted her to. Did she love Mei? She felt the desire to love her but was it already present or was it just forming and what was the difference? And what about Tim? How would he react? How could she just dump him? She resolved not to. If Mei could have her and Philip than she could have Mei and Tim. But fucking Philip would have to be part of the deal like Mei said. That would mean it would only be fair if Mei fucked Tim too. Things were getting complicated.

##########

Karla had been back at the gym for a couple of hours when Kenisha arrived, clocked in and immediately went on break without saying a word. Amanda, the other salon worker in on Saturday, an Hispanic lady in her forties, took note and gave Karla an inquiring look. "She's not feeling well today," was all Karla said.

Kenisha returned after twenty minutes and began dealing with clients and did a blowout and nails, chatting as usual with her customers but when those two were finished she told Karla that she wasn't feeling well and asked to be let off.

"Of course, Kenisha, if you're not feeling well. Just clock out and Anita and I will finish your shift." And Kenisha turned and left. Anita was dumbfounded and resentful.

Philip received Karla's text and saw the young black woman exit the building and head for a parking garage across the street. He followed. "Excuse me," he said, catching up to her on the opposite curb, "You're Kenisha, right?"

She smiled in return, thinking he must have been a member. "Yes, that's right."

"I'm a friend of Karla's and would like to talk with you for a few moments. Can I buy you a coffee?"

Kenisha's eyes turned to steel. "I have to be going."

He stepped in front of her and said, in as friendly a manner as he could, "Listen, Kenisha. You're blackmailing Karla, and I wanted to give you the benefit of my experience and talk this through with you before you make a mistake that could cost you a few years in jail. It'll only take a few minutes and we'll talk in public. You can leave at any time. I won't be threatening or abusive. Just two adults having a nice chat. Ok?"